9 Students With Ties To Westport Named U.S. Presidential Scholar Candidates

WESTPORT, CT — The U.S. Department of Education released the names of the U.S. Presidential Scholar candidates, and nine with ties to Westport made the list, according to officials.

The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was created in 1964 by executive order to recognize distinguished, graduating high school seniors across the country.

Expanded in 1979, the program includes students demonstrating exceptional talent in the visual, creative and performing arts. In 2015, it was further broadened to honor students with notable ability and achievement in career and technical education fields.

Each year, dozens of students are selected as Presidential Scholars, an honor regarded as one of the nation’s highest distinctions for high school seniors.

The students with Westport ties named U.S. Presidential Scholar candidates are:

• Uma Choudhury, Westport - Staples High School
• Gunnar Eklund, Westport - Staples High School
• Nolan J. Francis, Westport - Staples High School
• Jay Hari, Westport - Staples High School
• Isabel S. Jo, Westport - Staples High School
• Carly R. Mulhern, Westport - Staples High School
• Andrew J. Fox, Darien - Greens Farms Academy
• Ilana R. Lewitton, Westport - Hopkins School
• Vikram Sarkar, Westport - Brunswick School